– Task FG on health professionals’ welfare
The Lagos State Chapter of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has called on the federal and state governments to invest more in the welfare and security of health professionals, saying such investments will go a long way in addressing the massive brain drain being experienced in the health sector, especially the increasing exodus of young pharmacists.
Speaking at the recent 2023 Community Pharmacists Educational Conference, held at the Citadel Conference & Events Centre, Oregun, Lagos, Chairman of the association, Pharm. Lawrence Ekhator, disclosed that many young pharmacists are not interested in staying back in the country, due to lack of basic welfare and adequate security.
“We are currently experiencing a shortage of young pharmacists to employ. Those trained with the view of supporting our operations are leaving for greener pastures. It’s tough to blame them because all our appeals to the government are not yielding positive responses. This brain drain, by implication, will continue to worsen the country’s health indices.”
Ekhator insisted that if the government can fulfil its own constitutional role of providing security and basic welfare, many Nigerians who are migrating will definitely stay back and contribute to the country’s development.
While commending pharmacists who continue to contribute to the nation’s progress, despite obvious challenges, the ACPN helmsman said government must do more to encourage such.
“A lot of pharmacists are putting measures in place to thrive, but the more they do so, the more government introduces different policies to make things difficult. For instance, the drama surrounding the naira redesign and the implication of it on the economy is massive,” he said.
Ekhator, however, encouraged community pharmacists to keep leveraging the benefits of e-commerce, while dutifully playing their role of primary healthcare service providers, as well as transforming the healthcare industry and protecting the lives of the public.
According to the ACPN boss, the Continuing Education Conference, with the theme, “Overcoming brain drain challenges in community pharmacy”, was designed to promote professional skills, business strategy skills, and practice skills of community pharmacists, saying it would help community pharmacists to better understand current economic realities, move with the trend, and be better equipped for the coming year.
He added that the programme was conceived to constantly update members on current developments in the profession, adding that eagerness for a more robust engagement and more impactful result necessitated the need to change it to a two-day event.
Also speaking at the event, the Registrar, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), Pharm. Babashehu Ahmed said that the pharmacy profession has experienced massive loss of human resources in the last few years due to brain drain.
Babashehu, who was represented by Dr Ukamaka Okafor, director, PCN, noted that a total of 1,255 letters of good standing were issued to pharmacists who travelled out of the country in just 2021 and 2022, adding that “this figure does not include those who have travelled but are yet to apply for letters of good standing.”
The keynote speaker at the two-day conference, Chief Operating Officer, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr Peter Bamkole, urged ACPN members to encourage students from an early stage to develop interest in studying Pharmacy.
Bamkole said, “I agree that the country is experiencing brain drain across different sectors, but I believe we can do our best by getting more people to take science-related courses.
“As an association, we need to encourage more people to study science-related courses, especially Pharmacy, by enlightening them at the early stages of JSS 1 and JSS2.”
Bamkole, who was represented by the Director and Head of Gender at the Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Mrs Nneka Okekearu, also cautioned pharmacists seeking greener pasture to do their findings well before migrating.
“Do not relocate with your family. Don’t resign from your job. Take leave of absence and find a way to get an internship in a company abroad. Work there for two to three months and see their way of life.
“There are certain things you enjoy here that are unavailable aboard. After weighing the two options, you can now decide.”
Bamkole also urged the Nigerian government to take another look at the current pharmacy school curriculum to make it reflect the new trends and realities of today’s world.
“Our curriculum needs to be modified to reflect the current trend; we need to have things like leadership, personal management, financial literacy, and value creation, so that by the time a pharmacist is graduating, he or she is not just coming out as a pharmacist, but coming out with a more holistic view of the world.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the event, Pharm. Iyke Ugwu, managing director, Pharmacare Support Services, noted that the choice of the theme for the programme was very much in consonance with the reality on ground for Pharmacy, adding that the negative effect of brain drain on the pharmacy profession outweighs its positive effect.
The high point of the event was the presentation of commendation plaques to all the past chairmen of the association from 1990 under the leadership of Pharm. Jimi Agbaje, to 2021 under Pharm. Olabanji Obideyi.
Other dignitaries at the event include Pharm. Joel Adagadzu, chairman, PSN-BOF, who was represented by Chief (Mrs) Yetunde Morohundiya, vice-chairman, PSN-BOF; Pharm. (Dr) Afusat Adesina, chairman, ALPs, Lagos State; Pharm. Deji Osinoiki, chairman, Board of Trustees, ACPN; Pharm. Ike Onyechi, chief executive officer, Alpha Pharmacy Limited; Pharm. (Mrs) Biola Paul-Ozieh, chairman, HCPAN, Lagos; Pharm. Babayemi Oyekunle, chairman, PSN, Lagos State; Dr Arinola Joda, chairman, NAPA, Lagos State; Pharm. Ernest Okafor, chairman, PWDAN; Pharm. Olabanji Obideyi, immediate past chairman, Lagos ACPN; Pharm. Madehin Gafar Olanrewaju, national treasurer, PSN; Pharm. Tony Oyawole, among others.
